Investigation Into Grizzly Bear Attack on Mountain Biker Ends

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has been investigating the death of 38-year-old Brad Treat since June. Treat, a law enforcement officer with the U.S. Forest Service, was killed by a grizzly bear while mountain biking in Glacier National Park.

"The mountain biker, based on our investigation, collided with this grizzly bear, which led to the attack which caused the fatality," said FWP Region 1 spokesman John Fraley. "What we are putting out now is the results of the DNA analysis from all the samples we've obtained an had analyzed."

DNA analysis reveals that the bear is an adult male grizzly whose DNA has been catalogued multiple times in the past, but who has never posed a problem.

"We weren't trying to target this bear because it had gotten into any trouble," Fraley said. "It hadn't gotten into a chicken coop, broken into a structure, or had any conflict with humans, it was just randomly noted as part of our research project. So, there is no history with this bear of human conflict. This collision that occurred, it looks like a collision with a short sight distance: a surprise encounter."

Euthanization of the bear will not be pursued because of the chance nature of the attack. Fraley says that the investigation is now finished and there is no ongoing search for the bear.